Pin-setting machine



Feb. 7, 1933.

w. wHlTEJ-:TAL

PIN SETTING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1931 '2 Sheets-Sheet l wvENToRs Willa/fz While :l n #i M Ummm n A Mm W. WHITE ET AL PIN SETTING MACHINE Filedl May 2, 193.1

Feb. 7, 1933.

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Mlle. Ele/5'@ flaw? il BY will?,

AnoRNEY Patented Feb. 7, 19.33 l

UNITED STATES,

PATENT- .o1-Fics WILLIAM WHITE 'AND HENRY C. -PE'IEBSEN, OF HILLSIDE,I NEW JERSEY, ANI.) WILLIAM H. LANSMITH, OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO NORTON L. ADLER, OIE' NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, TRUSTEE PIN-SETTING MACHINE The present invention relates, generally, to pin-setting machines for bowling alleys; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to improvements in pin-setting machines whereby the handling of the pins and balls 1s facilitated. y y

The present application is a continuatlonin-part of a copending application for pinsetting machine, Serial Number 412,995, filed by William White, and this invention has for its principal object to provide a novel means for picking up standing pins after the first ball has been played and for resetting these pins, together with means for conveying dead pins and balls from the pit and gutters for further use.

Another object of the present invent-ion lies in the provision of a novel shiftable plate carried by the spotter platform, which shiftable plate carries novel pin clamps that are adapted to pick up standing pins after the' irst ball has been played to permit the clearing of dead wood from the alley, Said pin clamps being thereafter adapted to reset the pins in their respective standing positions whether or not these positionsconcide with their initial spotted positions. v

A third object of the present invention is to provide novel pin clamps of the abovecharacter which are purely mechanical in operation, thereby eliminating the use of magnets or `magnetic means commonly employed for licking up standing pins, the said pin clamps ing adapted to pick `up standard wood pins, thereby eliminatingthe useof metal partsin the pins, which metal parts are neces- ,slots 11. and

against the bolts 10 and at their rearward spotter platform of a pin-setting machine, which figure corresponds to Fig. 13 of the above identified copending application;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view withy parts broken away, taken along line 2-2 of 55 Fig. 1 and also shows conveyer means for removing dead wood from the gutters and pit;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear portion of the alley showing the pins set up in position forplaying-and also illustrates theconveying means;

Fig. 4 is lan enlarged' ,sectional view of a pin clamp and illust-rates the manner of suspending the same from the shiftable plate;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illuse5 trazes the pin clamp while supporting a pin; an

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken 6 6 of Fig. 4. v

Similar characters .of reference are em- .70 ployed in all of the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference numeral 1 designatesv the frame of the pin-setting machine. A spotter platform 2 of substantially triangular shape is adapted to move up and down with respect to the alley floor 3 for the purpose of spotting'or placing the pins upon the alley floor in their correct.

along line positions. The spotter platform 2 carries-lat- 80 i `erally eXtendin rollers 4 which move along. vertical guide c annels 5 mounted on frame 1.

Spottlng or conveying tubes 6 are carried by the spotter platform 2 and are adapted to convey pins 7 through suitable apertures 85 in the spotter platform for depositing these pins upon the alley floor 3. The in-setting 1 machine construction so far described is the same as that disclosed in the above identified application.

A shiftable plate 9 is illustrated as suspended from the spotterplatform 2 by means of bolts 10 which extend through circular a ertures in the s otter platform and through s ots 11 in the s iftable plate 9. Coil com- 95 pression springv 12 are positioned within I- ar at their forward ends ends against the shiftable plate 9, thereby tending to move or shiftthis plate rearwardlg with respect. to the spotter platform '2. iigle brackets 13 are secured to the rear edge of shiftable plate 9 and are slidably mounted within guide members 14 attached to frame 1.

Guide members 14 have guide webs 15 and 16 for engaging brackets 13 to thereby control the movement of the shiftable plate 9 under the action of springs 12. When brackets 13 engage webs 15 the springs 12 are compressed and the shiftable plate 9 is held in its forward position, in which position pin apertures 17 of this plate are aligned with the spotting tubes 6, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Vhen the brackets 13 engage the upper portion of the webs 16 of guide members 14, the springs 12 are expanded and pin clamps 18 carried by the shiftable plate 9 are positioned in alignment with the spotting tubes 6 and over the pins 7 standing on the alley floor.

The lower portion of each web 16 is inclined at 16 for moving its respective cooperating bracket 13 forwardly and toward the web 15. Each web 15 is provided witha gate 2O which is pivoted on a transverse pin 50 fixed to the wall of guide member 14. A tension spring 51 normally retains gate 20 in its vertical position shown in Fig. 2. W'hen the spotter platform 2 moves upwardly from its lowermost position, each bracket 13 rides along its respectiveguide web 15. The gates 20 being closed during the upward movement of the spotter platform prevent the brackets from ridingover webs 16. Just as vthe spotter reaches its upper limit of travel,

the brackets 13 ride kofi" of webs 15 and springs 12 are then free to expand and move brackets 13 and the shiftable plate 9 rearwardly until these brackets contact with webs 16. As the spotter 'platform again moves downwardly, the bracket'13will ride along web 16. If there are no pins on the alley floor, the spotter platform may continue its movement completelyto the fioor, in which case brackets 13 will ride along the inclined portions 16 of webs 16, thereby forcing these brackets 13 and the shiftable plate 9 forwardly against the tension of springs 1 2. v.lustfbefore the spotter platform reaches its lowest position, brackets 13 will pass through gates 2O vand then ride upon th'elowermo'st portion of webs 15, in which position the pin apertures 17 of the shiftable p1atef9 arein Jalignment with spotting tubes 6 so that pins 7 may be fed through these tubes to spotted position upon the alley oor. The spotter platform 2 is illustrated as provided with spacing members 19 which serve to suitably space shiftable plate 9 from the spotter platform.

Asespecially pin'clfamp 1,8 comprises. a hollow, cylindrical housing having a top 21 provided with acentral circular aperture 22 and a bottom 23 also' provided with a central circular aperillustrated in Figs. 4to 6, each` ture 24. A transversely extending partition 25 is positioned just below the top 21 and this partition also-has a central aperture 26 of the same diameter as the aperture 22. A vertical tube 27 extends -through an aperture provided in shiftable plate 9 and is illustrated as having a flared upper end 28 for retaining the same in fixed position with respect to this laterally with respect to the shiftable plate 9. It will be noted that owing to the relatively large size of apertures 22 and 26, the housing of the pin clamp may be shifted laterally considerable with respect to the supporting tube 27. A disk-sliaped plunger 32 is contained within the hollow interior of the pin clamp housing and has a stem 33 which projects upwardly through tube 27. A head 34 is secured to the upper end of stem 33 and is adapted to cooperate with adetent 35 secured as by a screw 36-fto a detent frame 37. A coil compression spring 38 surrounds the stem 33 Within the pin clamp housing and urges plunger 32 downwardly therein.

The pin clamp is provided with downward- 1y and outwardly flared clamping elements 39 which are adapted to engage and grip the head of a pin 7. Four of these clamping elements 39 are illustrated in the drawings but a greater or lesser number of these clamping elements may be used. if desired. These clamping elements are disposed about the central axis ofthe pin clamp housing below the plunger 32 and provide a central aperture 41 through which the head of a ypin 7 is adapted "to move. These clamping elements 39 are carried by spring pressed lingers 40 which rest upon the bottom 23 of the pin clamp housing. These fingers 40 are slotted at 42 for receiving guide-.screws 44 which extend upwardly from the bottom 23. Radially extending pins 45 are secured to the side walls of the pin clamp housing and extend through apertures provided in the outer ends of fingers 4in plan, as especially illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and carries ten detents 35 for cooperating with the ten heads 34 of the pin clamps. Coil tension springs 48 (see Fig. 1) are attached at one of their ends to the detent frame 37 and at their other end to the shiftable plate 9 and tend tourge the edetent frame 37 so that its detents 35 normally press against the heads 34 as shown in the figures. The detent frame 37 is formed with laterally extending arms 49 which are adapted to be engaged by cam levers 52 pivoted at 75 on the sides of frame 1. Electromagnets 53 are adapted to move cam levers 52 about their pivotal connections so that these. cam levers will engage arms 49 at the proper time and move detent frame 37 against the tension of springs 48 so that detents 35 disengage the heads 34 of the pin clamps. Coil tension springs 54 are connected to the cam levers 52 and normally hold these cam levers out of operative engagement with the arms 49 of the detent frame. The electromagnets 53 are adapted to be supplied with energizing current by-means of leads 55 ing upwardly, the switch 58 will close. Then and 56. A switch 57 of the ratchet type is connected in lead and has its operating arm 58 positioned to cooperate with one of the laterally extending arms 49 of the detent frame as this frame moves upwardly. Switch 57 being-of the ratchet type is not operated by vdownward movement of the deten arm 49, i. e. when switch arm 58 struck by` detent arm 49 moving downwardly only an idle movement of switch arm 58 takes place. If it be assumed that'switch 58 is open, then if its arm 58 is struck by detent arm 49 movthe next time that' switch arm 58 is struck by detent arm 49 moving upwardly, switch 58 will open.

As especially shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the ball and pin elevator 59, which is also disclosed in the above copending application, has a sprocket 601nounted on its drive shaft, which sprocket drives a second sprocket 61 by means of a chain 62. Sprocket 61 in turn drives a pit conveyer roller 63 for opera-ting the pit conveyer 64. The idlerpit conveyer roller 65 drives a sprocket 66 which in turn drives another sprocket 67 by means of a'chain 68. Sprocket 67 drives gutter conveyer rollers 69 of gutter conveyers 70 positioned at the sides of the alley iioor 3 and extending forwardly for a distancev from the pit of the alley. The forward ends of gutter conveyers 70Apass over idlers 71. b

' veyed to the elevator 59 which acts to elevate this dead wood -pfor further use in the manner disclos ,inthe above mentioned copending applic tion'. 1 When the spotter platform 2 moves downwardly pre aratory to s 0tting. or placing the pinsP7 upon the a ley ioor, the brackets 13 move downwardly while guided by guide webs 16. During the latter portion ofthe motion of the spotter platform, th'ejnclined portion of webs 16 acts to shift shiftable plate 9 forwardly against the tens-ion o'fsprings 12 so that the apertures 17 in thisplate are brought into alignment with spotting tubes 6. After the spotter has reached itsv lowermost position,l the pins 7 may be vfed through the spotting tubes 6 onto the alley floor, whereupon the spotter is again raised with the brackets 13 moving in engagement with web- 15 and the apertures 17 remaining in axial alignment with the spotting tubes 6 until the spotter reaches substantially its upper limit of travel, whereupon the brackets13 ride oii' of the webs l5 and thereupon engage webs 16, in which position the pin clamps 18 are`positioned directly over the standing pins 7.

Assuming that ten pins are set up on the alley Hoor 3 and that a first ball is played. and that some of the pins are knocked down and others are left standing, then the spotter platform 2 will move downwardly in the manner described in the above copending application, with the brackets 13 riding along webs'v 16 of guide members 14. As the spotter platform thus moves downwardly the pm clamps -18 are inalignment with the spottlng `tubes 6 and the spotter platform is brought of these pins be displaced from its spotted sponding pin clamp 18 laterally somewhat,

position, -it will act to displace the corre--v so that the pin clamp will properly grip the head of the pin without shifting the pin from its standing position.

-v The Haring of the clamp elements 39 enables these elements to engage the head of the pin 7 whether or not the pin is in` its spotted 'posit-ion and upon engaging thehead of a somewhat displaced pin, these clamp elements cause the pin clampbody to shift laterally so as to align itself with the pin 7. This will be apparent when it is noted that the housings of the pin clamps are readily vand easily movable laterally with respect to the shiftable plate 9 and the supporting tubes 427 owing to the anti-friction mounting of these housings. As the spotter comes to rest on top of the pins 7, the plungers 32 of the spring clamps are pushed upwardly against the tension of springs 33 as illustrated'in Fig. 5. In this position of the plungers 32 'the detents 35 snap under the heads 34 of the plungers 32 owing to the action of tension springs 48. The clamp elements 39 grip the heads of pins 7 owing to the pressure of springs 46.

The spotter platform is now raised, causing the pin clamps 18 to also niove upwardly carrying the standing pins 7 upwardly while brackets 13 ride along the vertical portions of webs 16. Since the detents engage under the heads 34 of plungers 32, these plungers are prevented from moving downwardly, which downward movement would discharge the pins from the pin clamps. Before the spotter platform reaches its uppermost position, one of the detent frame arms 49 engages the operating arm 58 of switch 57, thereby completing a circuit for electromagnets 53 and causing cam levers 52 to be turned about their pivotal connection so that these levers project into the path of movement of the laterally extending detent frame arms 49. W'hen the spotter again moves downward after the alley has been cleared of dead wood, the pins 7 held by tlie pin clamps are again deposited upon the alley ioor 3 in the same standing positions which they occupied before. J ust as these pins are deposited upon the alley floor, the arms 49 of the detent frame engage cam levers 52 which act to move the detent frame forwardly against the tension of springs 48, thereby disengaging detents 35 from heads 34. The spotter now again moves upwardly while brackets`13 ride along the vertical portions of webs 16 and since detents 35 do not engage under the heads 34, the coil springs 38 within the pin clamp housings act to push plungers 32 downwardly, thereby disengaging the standing pins 7 from the' pinclamps and allowing these pins to remain on the alley floor. As the spotter platform again approaches its uppermost position, one operating arm 49 of the detent frame 37 will engage switch arm 58 and operate switch 57 to deenergize electromagnets 53.

It will be noted that owing to the ready ability of the pin clamps to shift' in a horizontal plane. standing pins may be picked up and again set down in their standing positions for playing whether or not these positions correspond with the spotted positions of the pins. Since the alley gutters adjacent the pit are provided with conveyers all dead wood is removed as fast as the same falls into these gutters and the saine is true of dead woodffalling into the pit.

' As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently t widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, as defined -by thefollowing claims, itis intended that all matterf contained in the above description or shown in the-accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingd sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pin-setting machine, a movable spotter platform, a shiftable member carried by said platform, and pin clamps carried by said shiftable member, said pin clamps comprising, clamping elements for gripping standing bowling pins to raise the same from the alley Hoor as said spotter platform moves upwardly and means for releasing the pins from the gripping action of said clamping elements.` 2

2. In a pin-setting machine, a vertically movable spotter platform having pin conveying tubes therein, a shiftable member carried by said platform, said shiftable member having pin apertures adapted to be aligned with said pin conveying tubes, guide members for moving said shiftable member as said spotter platform moves vertically so that the pin apertures in said member becomealigned with said conveying tubes when said spotter platform is at the lowest point of its travel, and pin clamps carried by said shiftable member, said pin clamps comprising, clamping elements for grippingl standing bowling pins to raise the same fromlthe alleyv oor as Asaid spotter platform moves upwardly and means for releasing the pins from the gripping action of said clamping' elements when said spotter platform is again lowered. v

3. In a pin-settingl machine, a. movablel spotter platform, a shiftable plate member carried by said platform, pin clamps `carried by said shiftable plate 1member, said pin clamps having cramping elements for gripping standing bowling pins to be raised by the upward movement of said spotter ters for moving dead wood to the alley pit, and means for releasing the pins from the gripping action of` said clamping elements when said spotter platform is again lowered.

4. In a pin-setting machine, a movable spotter platform, a shiftable plate member carried by said platform, pin clamps carried b said shiftable plate member, said pin clamps having clamping elements for gripping standing bowling pins to be raised by the upward movement'of said spotter platform whereupon the alley may be cleared of dead wood, conveying means in the alley gutters for moving dead wood to the alley pit, conveying means in the 'alley pit for when said spotter platform is again lowered. 5. In a pin-'setting machine, a vertically platform, conveying means in the alley gutmovable spotter platform, a shiftable plate member carried by said platform, and pin clamps carried by said shiftable plate member, saidpin clamps having 4cl-amping elements for gripping standing bowling pins to raise the same from the alley fiooras said spotter platform moves upwardly, said placed clamping elements being movable in a hori-l zontal plane and adapted to engage and grip standin pins even should the latter bedisom their spotted positions, said pin clamps being operative, when said spotter platform is again lowered after raising said standing pins, to place the pins in their respective previous standing positions.

6. In a pin-setting machine, a vertically movable spotter platform, a shiftable plate member carried by said platform, and -pin clamps carried by said shiftable plate member, said vpin clamps having Clamping elements for gripping standing bowling pins to raise the same from the alley floor as said spotter platform moves upwardly, said clamping elements being movable in a horizontal plane and adapted to engage and grip standing pins even should the latter be .displaced from their spotted positions, antifriction means for facilitating the horizontal movement of said clamping elements, and means controlled by the movement of said spotter platform for releasing the pins from the gripping action of said clamping elements.

7. In a pin-setting machine, a movable plate member, a plurality of pin clamps carried by said plate member, each of said pin clamps comprising a housing having an a ertured bottom, clamping-elements exten ing downwardly tom for engaging and gripping standing pins, a spring'pressed plunger contained within said housing' and tending to disengage pins from the gripping action of said clamping elements, and detent means carried by said plate member for engaging said pin clamp plungers to restrain the latter from disengaging the pins from said clamping elements.

8. In a lpin-setting machine, a movable' plate member, a plurality of pin clamps carried by said plate member, each of said pin clamps comprising a housing having an apertured bottom, clamping 'elements extending downwardly and outwardly from said bottom for, engaging and qgripping standing pins, a spring pressed plunger contained within said housing and tending to disengage pins said clamping elements, detent means carried by said plate member for engaging said pin `clamp plungers to restrain the latter from disengaging the pins from said clamping elements', and cam means operative in accordance with the movement of said plate member for moving said detent means out of engagement with said plungers to effect the release of the pins from said clamping elements. Y

9'. In a pin-setting .1machine, a movable plate member, a plurality of pin clamps carried-by said plate member, each of said pin clamps comprising a housing having an and outwardly from said bot-.

from the gripping action of.

apertured bottom, clamping elements ex-. tending downwardly and outwardly from said bottom for engaging and gripping standing pins, a spring pressed lunger contained Within said housing and) tending to disengage pins from the gripping action of said clamping elements, detent means carried by said plate member for engaging said pin clamp plungers to restrain the latter from disengaging the pins from said clamping elements and cam means operative in accordance with the movement of said plate member for moving said detent means out of engagement with said plungers to effect the release of the, pins from said clamping elements, zontally shiftable with respect to said plate member, whereby standing pins displaced from their spotted positions may be picked up by said pin clamps to be later replaced in their respective displaced positions.

10. In a pin-setting machine, a movable plate member, a .pin clamp depending from said plate member, said pin clamp comprising a housing, said housing having a cen-. tral opening in the bottom thereof, a pluralsaid pin clamp housing being horiity of flared clamping elements projecting downwardly and outwardly from said central opening, sprin pressed fingers contained within said ousing and engaging said clamping elements to `press the latter toward the center of said housing for gripping the head of a tained within said housing,'spring means engaging said' plunger for urging the same downwardly to disengage pins from said clamping elements, and a detent frame mounted on said plate member, said detent frame having a detent for engaging said pin ejecting plunger to hold the same in retractive, inoperative. positio 11. In a pin-setting machine, a movable plate member, apin clamp depending ,from said plate member, said pin clamp comprising a housing antifrictionally mounted for movement parallel to said plate member,

pin, a pin ejecting plunger conv said housing having a central opening in the plurality of flared clampber, said `detent frame having/a detent for,

engaging said pin ejecting plunger to hold the same in retractive, inoperative position and cam means operative in res onse to movement of said plate member or wit-hf drawing said detent frame from operative proJecting downwardly and engagement with said pinej-ecting plunger.

In testimony, that we claim the invention ksei; forth above we have hereunto set our HENRY C. PETER'SEN. WILLIAM H. LANSMITH. 

